Hat manufacture



June 2, 1942.

'r. J. WAL L an MANUFACTURE Filed Oct 25,

.A'EDGEI ROUNDED I RkQnsHrJ AIGIIIMRK) Patented June 2, 1942 UNITED srres TENT OFFICE HAT MANUFACTURE Thomas 1. Wall, Fairfield, Conn, assignor to The Norwalk Hat; Company, Norwalk, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application October 25, 1940, Serial No. 362,869

(era-19a) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hat manufactures and, with regard to its specific ing, which may be carried on wholly as a backshop operation whereby the resulting product may, if desired, be soldas a rough'hat body and finished by conventional processes; the provision of a fur felt hat having a brim edgeof novel and distinctive appearance; the provision of a fur-felt hat having a felted-in edge which in appearance simulates that provided by the well known cloth or fabric bound edge; and the provision of a hat having a felted-in brim edge which isof different color than that ofthe hat proper and which possesses the appearance of a binding. 7

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out in. connection with the following analysis of this invention wherein is illustrated an embodiment of the invention in detail.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 illustrates a cone-shaped, partially shrunk hat bat for processing according to the present invention;

,Fig. 2 illustrates a tube or cylinder of fur felt material which provides the source of endless strips for association with hat bats as illustrated in Fig. 1;.

Fig. 2A is a detail of an endless strip as aforesaid;

Fig. 3 is illustrative of the manner of securing an endless strip as aforesaid to the hat bat illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a View representative of the finally shrunk hat body in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is illustrative of the hat product of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, reference character It! indicates a cone-shaped hat bat, as formed from fur fibers by a conventional forming process,

which has been partially shrunk about a third of the way down to its final body size. Preferably, the outer surface of the bat for about the distance of three-fourths of an inch from its lowermost edge is jacked or scratched up as indicated by the X-hatching H whereby the surface fibers of the bat along its edge portions are raised relatively of the interfelted fibers forming the bat proper. The batas aforesaid is of determined color which may be that resulting from the mixture or' blend ofalready colored fur fi-.

' bers, in which event nosubsequent dyeing of the bat or final body takes place. Or the bat may have a natural grey color as results from the 1 blending of grey fur fibers, in which event the hat isadapted for subsequent dyeing. which gives a predetermined shade or color to the final hat product.

Referring to Fig. 2, there is shown a tube or cylinder 15 formed of interfelted fur fibers, the diameter of the cylinder being substantially that of the greatest diameter of the partially shrunk bat, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Preferably, the felt cylinder, which was formed large, is shrunk to about the same degree as the hat bat, so that its texture and body are approximately that of the hat bat illustrated in Fig. 1.

.The felt cylinder l5 provides the source of a" plurality of strips, such as the strips [5a, for application to the edge portion of the hat bat H! in the manner to be described. Ihus, a plurality of strips such as lfia may be cut in widths of about five-eighths of an inch from the felt cylinder, one such strip being shown in Fig. 2A, with Fig. 3 showing such a strip partially secured to the hat bat along its lower edge by a double row of temporary stitches 16; Prior to applying the strip to" the bat as aforesaid, both edges of the stripv are preferably rounded, with the result that the strip as applied has a width of about three eighths of an inch. Preferably also, the relatively inner surface of the strip prior to its application to the bat is jacked or scratched up'as indicated at IT wherebythe surface fibers are raised. In applying the strip to the bat edge portion, care should be taken to insure that the relatively lower edge of the strip is in substantial registry or coincidence. with the terminal lower edge of the bat, so that-the strip lies wholly against theouter surface of the bat rather than being folded over or overlapping the edge thereof. The present invention contemplates-a hat having abrim whose edge is colored differently and/or'incontrasting manner to the brim andhat proper. This color difference or contrast may be obtained in various ways. Thus, if the final hat product is to be a so-called mixture hat, such as a brown mix, the required color is imparted to the felt cylinder and hence to the brim strips [Ed by employing a different mixture or blend of fur fibers which results in the desired differing or contrasting color, such as green. Again, where the hat is to be subsequently dyed to a regular color, the felt cylinder may be formed of a blend of white furs whereby the overlaid strip following coloring comes out lighter in shade than the initially grey crown and brim portion of the hat proper, thus to provide the desired color difference between the applied edge strip and the hat proper.

With a differently colored strip temporarily stitched to the bat as illustrated in Fig. 3, the bat and applied strip is now subjected to further shrinking operations and the bat is brought down to slightly in excess of its final body size. By this shrinking operation the strip is felted and adhered to the bat along its edge portion, the scratched up fibers of the bat and of the applied strip felting together to effectively secure the overlaid strip to the bat in permanent and substantially integral manner.

The strip in its felted-in condition forms in effect a reinforcing welt which is, as above described, of different color than the hat body proper. Thereupon the temporary stitching I6 may be removed and the hat is given a final shrinking to bring it to final body size, as illustrated in Fig. 4. If desired, the lower edge of the body may now be rounded to impart a definitely cut edge to the final brim, although it is preferred that this edge be maintained in its rawedge state.

The body is now in condition for dyeing if it is to be given a regular color, no dyeing of the mixture hats being required as above noted. Following dyeing, if such is practiced, the bodies are blocked, preferably by a hand blocking operation, by which the hat body is given its crown and brim formation. Care is taken during blocking to preserve the brim edge against substantial distortion or severe treatment.

The blocked hat as aforesaid is finished by the conventional finishing operations, it being here noted that the distinctive appearance of the brim edge resulting from the two-tone effect is imparted wholly in a back-shop operation. Accordingly hat bodies in the rough, that is to say, unfinished hat bodies having the novel brim edge features of the instant invention, may be sold as such to establishments performing finishing operations exclusively, or may go forward, in a shop equipped to finish bodies as aforesaid, from the back-shop to the front-shop, in which latter the finishing operations are conventionally performed.

Following finishing, a hat product as illustrated in Fig. results, such being characterized by the aforesaid felted-in welt edge having the durable properties of known welt edges, and possessing also a distinctive appearance imparted by the color difference between the felted-in welt or strip and the brim and crown forming the hat proper.

For purpose of illustration, the drawing carries the legends Dark (light) or Light (dark) applied in alternative manner to the hat body or hat proper, and to thestrip or brim edge. Such legends are employed to illustrate color difference according to the present invention between the hat bat or body and its applied brim edge and not as limiting the invention to light and dark colors or shades thereof, because two contrasting dark colors or two contrasting light colors are intended to be included within the meaning of the legends aforesaid, and also within the scope of the appended claims.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. The method of hat manufacture which includes the steps of forming a hat bat composed of loosely interfelted fur fibers, partially shrinking the bat, providing an endless strip also composed of loosely interfelted fur fibers but of a different color and mixture than that employed in making up the bat, temporarily securing the strip to the outer face only of the bat and along the lower edge thereof so that the relatively lower edge of the strip substantially coincides with the lower edge of the bat, and simultaneously felting the strip to the bat and shrinking the latter down to final body size.

2. The method of hat manufacture which includes the steps of forming a hat bat composed of loosely interfelted fur fibers, partially shrinking the bat, scratching up the outer surface fibers of the bat along the bottom edge thereof, providing an endless strip also composed of loosely interfelted fur fibers but of a different color and mixture than that employed in making up the bat, partially shrinking the strip to a diameter approximately the largest diameter of the partially shrunken bat, temporarily securing the strip to the outer face only of the bat and along the lower edge of the latter so that the lower edge of the strip substantially coincides with the lower edge of the bat, and felting in the strip to the bat while shrinking the bat down to final body size.

3. The method of hat manufacture which includes the steps of forming a hat bat composed of loosely interfelted fur fibers, partially shrinking the bat, scratching up the outer surface fibers of the bat along the bottom edge thereof, providing an endless strip also composed of loosely interfelted fur fibers but of a different color and mixture than that employed in making up the bat, partially shrinking the strip to a diameter approximating that of the largest diameter of the partially shrunken bat, scratching up the surface fibers on the relatively inner surface of the strip, temporarily stitching the strip to the outer face only of the bat and along the lower edge thereof so that the lower edge of the strip substantially coincides with the lower edge of the bat, felting the strip to the bat while shrinking the latter down to slightly in excess of its final body size, thereupon removing the stitching, and further shrinking the bat to its final body size.

4. The method of hat manufacture which includes the steps of forming a conical-shaped hat bat,,forming a cylindrical bat of a diameter substantially that of the largest diameter of the bat from a differently colored mixture of fur than is employed in forming the hat bat, partially shrinking the hat and cylindrical bats to approximately the same degree, severing an endless strip from the cylindrical bat, ,relating the strip on the outer face only of the hat bat in such manner that the strip overlies the bat along its lower edge portionand that the lower edges of the strip and bat substantially coincide without overlap, and felting the strip to the bat while shrinking the latter down to finalbody size.

5. The method of hat manufacture whichineludes the steps of forming a conical-shaped hat bat, forming a cylindrical bat of a diameter substantially that of the largest diameter of the hat strip and bat substantially coincide without overlap, temporarily securing the so related strip to the bat, and felting the strip to the bat while shrinking the latter down to final body size.

6. The method of hat manufacture whichineludes the steps of forming a conical-shaped hat bat, forming a cylindrical bat of a diameter substantially that of the largest diameter of the hat shrinking the hat and cylindrical bats to approximately the same degree, severing an endless strip from the cylinder, relating the strip on the outer face only of the hat bat in such manner that the strip overlies the lower edge portion of the bat and-that the lower edges of the strip and the bat substantially coincide without overlap, temporarily stitching the so related strip to the bat, felting the strip to the hat bat while shrinking the latter down to slightly in excess of itsfinal body size, removing the temporary stitching, and further shrinking the bat down to final body size.

'7. A fur felt hat having a crown and a brim,

the brim carrying on its upper face only and along its peripheral portion a layer of a mixture of fur felt fibers which is of different color than the mixtures of fibers making up the hat, said layer extending to but not over the outer edge of the brim proper, the fibers forming said edge layer being feltably connected with the fibers forming 1e brim proper.

8. A fur felt hat having a crown and a brim, the outer brim edge being a composite of the edge of the brim proper and of the edge ofa strip applied to the upper brim face only and which is composed of a mixture of felted fur fibers of different color than the mixture of fibers making up the hat proper, said strip being feltably connected to the brim.-

9. A fur felt hat including a crown and a brim, the brim carrying on its upper face only and along its peripheral portion a relatively narrow strip whose outer edge corresponds to the edge of the brim proper and which is composed of a mixture of fur fibers of a different color than that of the mixture of the fibers employed in making up the hat proper, said strip being integrally felted into the brim.

' V THOMAS J. WALL.- 

